The Summer of 2010 has been one of the best runs of great games that the Xbox Live Arcade has ever seen. And it isn't just the "Summer of Arcade" ultra-hyped games, either. Book ending the Summer of Arcade are several great titles as well. The 13 games we're highlighting cover a wide range of genres and play styles, and all of them are highly recommended. This isn't every game that has been or will be released this Summer, but rather our picks for the cream of the crop coming out between Memorial Day and Labor Day 2010.
Snoopy Flying Ace
Microsoft
- Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
- Developer: Smart Bomb Interactive
- Genre: Air Combat
- Release Date: June 2, 2010
- Price: 800 MSP
- ESRB: "E10"
- Mini-Review: Remember Crimson Skies on the original Xbox? This game is pretty much that dressed in the Peanuts comic strip license. People have kind of pooh-poohed this game because of the license, but it is actually really, really fun and really well put together. It has great controls, nice visuals, and very fun and very accessible gameplay that make it easy to get into. It is easily the best multiplayer dogfight game on the Xbox 360 so far.
Risk: Factions
EA
- Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Developer: Stainless Games
- Genre: Strategy Board Game
- Release Date: June 23, 2010
- Price: 800 MSP
- ESRB: "E10"
- Mini-Review: Risk: Factions takes the classic board game risk and speeds it up a little while adding some new maps and features. You can play the classic vanilla version if you want, but the addition of factions (Cats, Humans, Zombies, Robots, Yeti) as well as new gameplay objectives really add a lot to the game. We loved it.
Puzzle Quest 2
D3 Publisher
- Publisher: D3 Publisher
- Developer: Infinite Interactive
- Genre: Puzzle / RPG
- Release Date: June 30, 2010
- Price: 1200 MSP
- ESRB: "E10"
- Mini-Review: Puzzle Quest 2 is a bigger, better, deeper Puzzle Quest. The puzzle game slash RPG is addictive and satisfying and terrifically fun. We preferred the overworld map method of moving around in the original over the "move around small areas like a real RPG" style used in the sequel, but the core puzzle gameplay and leveling up and equipping your character is still as great as ever.
Blacklight: Tango Down
Ignition Ent.
- Publisher: Ignition Entertainment
- Developer: Zombie Studios
- Genre: First-Person-Shooter
- Release Date: July 7, 2010
- Price: 1200 MSP
- ESRB: "T"
- Mini-Review: Blacklight: Tango Down is a multiplayer-focused FPS that takes the best parts of shooters like Call of Duty and the Battlefield series and condenses and refines them into a stand alone downloadable package. All of the deathmatch and team modes you would expect are here but with unique twists such as the ability to see through walls or use special grenades to block other players' vision abilities. Players can level up through 70 levels which earns you new weapons and customization options. It is remarkably polished and highly recommended for FPS fans looking for something new this Summer.
Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge SE
LucasArts
- Publisher: LucasArts
- Developer: LucasArts
- Genre: Adventure
- Release Date: July 7, 2010
- Price: 800 MSP
- ESRB: "E10"
- Mini-Review: Monkey Island 2: LeChuck's Revenge SE follows in the footsteps of the original Monkey Island SE released a year ago, which means the graphics and sound have been redone for the HD era (though you can switch to the original presentation at any time) and the great sense of humor is in full effect. New to Monkey Island 2 SE is full analog movement control instead of relying on the oldschool point and click method. The game is great fun, just like it was when it first appeared on PC almost 20 years ago.
DeathSpank
EA
- Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Developer: Hothead Games
- Genre: Action RPG
- Release Date: July 14, 2010
- Price: 1200 MSP
- ESRB: "T"
- Mini-Review: DeathSpank takes hack and slash action RPGs and adds a sense of humor. The result is one of our favorite XBLA games to come along in quite a while. It gives you tons of weapons and armor and items to use, plenty of funny quests to complete. and ridiculous enemies to defeat all wrapped up in solid, fun hack and slash gameplay.
LIMBO
Microsoft
- Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
- Developer: Playdead Studios
- Genre: 2D Platforming / Puzzle Solving
- Release Date: July 21, 2010
- Price: 1200 MSP
- ESRB: "T"
- Mini-Review: LIMBO is completely gorgeous. The monochrome visuals with minimal music and sound effects is just stunningly beautiful. The deceptively simple 2D platforming / puzzle solving gameplay is also really sharp and well designed. Great gameplay. Ingeniously designed puzzles. Amazing presentation. LIMBO is not just a great XBLA game, but one of the best games overall we've played all year.
Hydro Thunder Hurricane
Microsoft / Warner Bros. Interactive
- Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
- Developer: Vector Unit
- Genre: Racing
- Release Date: July 28, 2010
- Price: 1200 MSP
- ESRB: "E"
- Mini-Review: Hydro Thunder Hurricane is a sequel to the arcade and Dreamcast original that hit the market ten years ago. It brings the same over the top racing and speed the series was known for but adds new tracks and boats and modes as well as online play. It has a great progression system that lets you unlock new tracks and boats in both multi and single-player, so you always make progress no matter how you play. It is fast and fun and one of the best racers on the XBLA.
Castlevania: Harmony of Despair
Konami
- Publisher: Konami
- Developer: Konami
- Genre: 2D Platformer
- Release Date: August 4, 2010
- Price: 1200 MSP
- ESRB: "T"
- Mini-Preview: Castlevania: Harmony of Despair brings the great 2D Castlevania gameplay back to XBLA. This time around, in addition to single-player, the game can be played in up to 4-player co-op. There will also be a "Boss Rush" mode as well as a PVP "Versus" mode.
Monday Night Combat
Microsoft
- Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
- Developer: Uber Entertainment
- Genre: Third-Person-Shotoer
- Release Date: August 11, 2010
- Price: 1200 MSP
- ESRB: "T"
- Mini-Preview: Monday Night Combat is a class-based third-person-shooter that pits two teams of six against each other in the futuristic sport of "Money Ball". The objective is to escort waves of robots to your opponent's Money Ball so they can take down its shield so you'll be able to destroy it.
